In a message dated 10/25/05 10:45:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
Howard.Allen@FAIRCHILDSEMI.COM writes:

> Actually I would have preferred one due to its simplicity.  Case in point,
> if you consider the posts over the last 4 weeks, a significant portion of
> them have been regarding difficulties with dealing with the cooling system
> in the water cooled vans.  I ended up with a water cooled van because:
> 1.) the price was right ($750)
> 2.) the body is in excellent shape for a 1984 due to being in Arizona all
> its life and the engine was rebuilt about 35,000 miles ago
> 3.) Most of the air cooled vans on Ebay that were within driving distance
> of Maine (didn't know about Samba when I bought my van) were rusting
> pieces of crap with engines that needed rebuilding or more money than I
> wanted to spend.
>
>

aircooled have their own set of problems..  i have owned just about every
year bus and van made since '66 and dont really have a preference. .   aircooleds
get dropped valve seats, cracked heads... low compression..   the splittys
(any model) are fetching BIG money restored these days....as well as late model
baywindow campers.   but the aircooled vanagons?   nobody wants them. maybe
you might want them but the average vw van shopper doesnt.
i have parted many out that were runners, due to lack of interest.. its a
shame.  you can make more money parting the aircooled vanagon westys out than
selling them whole.    the 86-91 westys are the only ones that are really worth
anything these days..
there have been a bunch of people on this list practically *giving*
aircooled vanagon westys away with no takers..

i like both aircooled and watercooled..  i love all vw vans..   but im just
stating the facts.. the aircooled vanagons have a minimal following compared to
the late model watercooled vans.

chris